1. The Art & Science of
Differentiated Instruction:
Secondary
Diane Graves
Secondary Teacher Consultant
SD38
dgraves@sd38.bc.ca

2. Learning Intentions
Recognize and build upon the ways we
are already responding to the diversity
in our classrooms
Increase our skills with lesson design
that takes into account our students, the
content, and the skills needed to access
the content

3. What motivates our kids?
http://www.youtube.com Daniel Pink
After viewing this, turn to a partner and
share something that stood out for you.
“Say Something”
How might this relate to our classes?

4. Fear of failure can only
motivate students who have
a pattern of success.
Charlotte Danielson, 2002

5. Where does ‘intrinsic motivation’ come from?
Self efficacy
Believing in yourself as a learner
Effective Feedback
and the chance to act
upon it
‘Locus of control’
Having some control over factors
that influence your success
Intrinsic
Motivation
Achievement

6. Anticipation Guide: Differentiation
is… Agree/Disagree
A different lesson plan for every student
The resource teacher’s responsibility
Lower expectations for student outcomes
More work for staff
Is a mindset not a procedure
flexible groupings
Requires the teacher to know their students
and their content
Is a proven method for increasing student
performance
Done on the spot
Only for kids with IEPs.

7. Differentiated Instruction is…
An approach to teaching and learning that
gives students multiple options:
For taking in information
For making sense of ideas
For presenting ideas
For being evaluated on their learning

8. Readiness Interests Learning Profile
Keeping in Mind Students'...

9. Readiness
the complexity of thinking skills
required, or the background knowledge
available.
not constant across the curriculum
determined by diagnostic or formative
assessments, pretests, KWL charts,
etc…

10. Interests
what the student is interested in
if students’ interests are considered,
there will be greater motivation and self-
direction
can be determined by interest
inventories, and by including students in
the planning process.

11. Learning Profile
learning modalities or environmental
preferences
can be determined by surveys of
multiple intelligences,
visual/auditory/kinesthetic modalities,
environmental preferences (noise,
lighting, seating, grouping, etc.)

13. How do we Know?
Pre-assessments
-Assessment for
Learning (AFL)
Bloom’s
Taxonomy
Multiple
Intelligence
Class Profiles
- not individual
student
ones

14. Teaching
Assessing
Learning
Latin root ofLatin root of assessmentassessment is “assidere,” meaning tois “assidere,” meaning to
“sit beside.”“sit beside.”

15. We need to begin with the end in mind. Otherwise
we & our students can get lost along the way.

16. Content Product Process
Teachers can differentiate...

17. Product
On your own, reflect on your summative
assessment practices (Assessment of
Learning):
What are the varying ways you grade your
students learning?
Do you give student’s choice in how they
represent their learning?
Do you have a “default” method: essay, lab
report, test, etc…?
Does your summative piece align with your
learning intentions for that lesson/unit?

18. Product
The evidence of learning
There are many ways for students to “show
what they know”
Not all products need be summative
Choices may be offered in:
• Various types of formative/summative
assessments, with corresponding rubrics
• Test-taking accommodations

19. Examples of differentiating product:
student choice of mode of demonstrating
learning
varied rubrics for different products
Graphic Organizer to support thinking
tiered assignments for summative
assessment
adapting test-taking (allow for scribes,
readers, larger fonts, fewer questions, etc.)
inquiry assignments, independent study

20. Triangulation of Data:
Classroom Assessment
Valid & Reliable
Picture of Student
Achievement
Performance task
Oral defense/
conference
Written test data

22. “Making choices is like lifting
weights. The more frequently
students choose from a group
of options the thicker their
‘responsibility muscles’
become.”
Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom
Thomas Armstrong

23. Pause & Reflect
What can I let go of? BeWhat can I let go of? Be
specific:specific:
Activities, marking, etc…Activities, marking, etc…

24. Hopefully we aren’t feeling this
way…
http://www.youtube.com

26. Accessing the Content

27. Content
Curriculum
Standards &
Content: Knowledge,
Skill or Concept?
 Varying Text Levels -
Data bases like EBSCO
& World Book - easier
or more challenging
 Pacing - Slow Learning
= Deep Learning
 Arc (Set BC)
 Kurzweil ($$$)
 Word Tools for
Reading: Auto-
Summarize
 Adobe (pdf) Tools for
Reading: Text to
Speech
 Digital Text Book
(Adobe Product)
 Online Tutors
 Online Oral readings

28. Process

29. Instructional Design
 Pre-Learning
 Anticipation Sets
 Accessing Background
Knowledge
 During Learning
 Process, Discuss
 Application
 Built upon Gradual
Release
 Post Learning
 Personalize &
Transform

30. Purposeful linking of
text structure and/or
thinking skills with
Instructional approach.

31. Time to Practice
Science 8 curriculum - lesson
sequencing example
Linking text structure, thinking skills and
content with instructional approach

32. Overriding Questions
How can I support those students who
may struggle with reading and/or
organizing their thinking?
How can I engage those students who
are above grade level?

33. Teacher Planning for
Learning from Text
End goal is to have students understand the
relationship between what is a threat to our
Immune System and how it protects us.
Cause & Effect Text Structure
Verbal & Graphic Organizers to support
comprehension & thinking

35. Deductive and Inductive
Thinking/Reasoning/Logic
 In order to differentiate, I need to understand the
skills needed to learn the content so that I can
scaffold student learning.
General
To Specific
Specific to
Broader
Deductive Inductive

36. Bloom’s
&
Processing
Skills

37. Accessing Background Knowledge - Connecting
Talk to a neighbour.
 What do you see?
 What might these 2 images have in common with
each other?
 How might they be connected to what we could study
in Science?

38. What do these have in
common?
Destroy
Blood
Pus
Vertebrates
Fluid
Inflammation
Invaders
Defenses
Mucus
cancer
What do you think we will be studying next?

39. Our Immune System is an intricate weave o
defense mechanisms. What is the most
effective/important component in this
system?

40. Instructional Design During
Stage - Gradual Release
Knowledge - connect to personal
experience to uncover
Skills - use graphic organizer to scaffold
Inductive thinking and
comprehension of text
Concept - Immune System

41. Strategies implemented to
support student learning
Fish Bone - Cause & Effect text and
concept structure
Read Aloud - C&E, Key Ideas &
supporting details
partner work to practice - Ping Pong
Independent practice with feedback - Ping
Pong

43. Product - Answer
Inquiry question using
Fishbone, Mind Map or a Concept Map
compacting the curriculum for students who
have mastered the concepts
Establish criteria with class
Need to have taught these before you use
them with new content and/or evaluate it
summatively.

44. Extension Activity
Using either a Fishbone, Mind or
Concept Map Graphic Organizer,
indicate all the components.
Indicate in your organization what are
strengths and what are weaknesses.
Indicate hierarchy amongst the 2
categories

45. “Too often, educational tests, grades
and report cards are treated by
teachers as autopsies when they
should be viewed as physicals.”
Douglas Reeves,
2002

46. Applying
To your
Personal
Practice

48. Graphic Organizer Samples &
Rubrics
Take a few minutes to look at some of the
student samples.
How do Graphic Organizers allow for student
choice, differentiation, and addressing
diverse multiple intelligences?
How might you use Graphic Organizers in
your own practice to support student
learning?

49. Criteria Ping-Pong QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
1. Introduce using a task students are familiar with. Post criteria to
remind students what is important.
2. Explain the purpose of Criteria Ping-Pong - “Your brain can do a
better job when it gets useful and immediate information. I’m going
to walk around and tell you what I notice you are doing. I will say
one thing and then you will say another thing that you have done.
We go back and forth.
3. Read criteria to the class and then as they work, play “criteria ping-
pong” with as many as you can.
4. Reread criteria to students who are having trouble starting - ask
them to identify one thing for you to see when you return to play
“criteria ping-pong”.

50. Before & After Traffic LightsBefore & After Traffic Lights
ScienceScience 8 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
AfterCan do statementsBefore
I can explain what threatens
Our Immune System
I can identify & describe the 2
Levels of defense
I can tell others what causes
Pus to form.
Comments:

51. Highlight and Hand InHighlight and Hand In QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this pictur
Explain purpose of the self-assessment - essential part
of being an effective learner.
Demonstrate activity using a task students are familiar with
and have criteria for.
Display an anonymous sample of work on an overhead
projector.
Use a highlighter or pen to circle specific evidence where it has met
criteria. Think aloud as you do this!
Ask students to highlight evidence of meeting criteria on their work (first
drafts).
Ask them to make any additions or changes at any time during
“highlight” and “hand-in”. Invite them to share any changes they have
made.
Have students hand in work. Assess work in relation to agreed upon
criteria by placing a check mark in the column: Met or Not Yet Met.

52. Resources

53. “The real voyage of discovery
consists not in seeking new
landscapes but in having new
eyes.”
Marcel Proust